


Honey and Apple

by Pimsri



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff without Plot, John Marston - Freeform, M/M, arthur morgan - Freeform, javier escuella - Freeform, just overall silly fluff, there's a bit of john as well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 13:31:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20447927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pimsri/pseuds/Pimsri
Summary: When the warm summer comes and ripen the fruits, something else has also bloomed between the senior gunslinger and the newest member of the gang.





	Honey and Apple

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my very first fan fiction! I choose something easy and relaxing to write! I love this ship and hope to contribute something other than art, so that inspire me to write something!  
English is not my first language, but thanks to @helvellum on Twitter, I was able to get this fic a proof-read!  
I hope you all will enjoy! I look forward to writting more!

_ “His knife has engravings on the blade, roses and skulls. He showed it to me today. He takes such good care of it, like how he takes good care of his appearance. He wore a green scarf, and a white shirt under his favorite blue vest, his hair was tied, but there were always strands of hair falling and framing his face, it made him look so”...... _

Arthur hovered the pencil above the page, thinking for the right words.. His vocabulary failed him. 

_ …..”adorable” _

“No, no, you pervert,” Arthur mumbled to himself in frustration, placing the pencil away and ripping the page out from his journal. He stuffed it into his satchel, which was starting to get very full from all his previous failed attempts.

He thought about Javier - he saw his face clearly in his memory - and he thought about what to write. Why was he so shy about this? The young Arthur Morgan wouldn’t be shy about speaking many sweet, flirty words to the girls at the bars. He doesn’t remember falling in love being this awkward. He stared at the once again empty page, and decided to give up. 

The camp came into view, and he planned his evening. Maybe Tilly was up for a game of dominos, there was also a book Dutch left by his tent, one that he suggested to read, and he wanted to sketch a white tailed buck with one antler he saw earlier today, or maybe Javier would come to play and sing at the campfire tonight. That last thought made him smile, but his smile didn’t last long. There approached Dutch, who started speaking as soon as Arthur slid off his horse.

“Oh Arthur, can I ask a favor of you, son?”

“Sure, what is it?”

Arthur reached for the peppermint in his saddlebag, giving it to Boadicea, while Dutch rested his hand on Arthur’s shoulder as he spoke.

“While you were off napping somewhere, Javier went out fishing for dinner. John told me you’re free today, so why not go help him?”

Somehow it’s just his luck, isn’t it?

“Mmhm, I’ll get my rod, and meet him in a minute.”

Dutch gave Arthur a few final pats on his shoulder and talked about how he could always rely on his favorite son before he trotted off. Bill and John were on guard duty, Hosea took Sean for a shooting lesson, and Karen took the ladies for some shopping in town, and all was quiet, and that’s why Arthur could almost hear his own heart. Why was he like this? He was nervous. Making a fool of himself in front of Javier was the last thing he wanted, and with him being such a poor fisherman, making a fool of himself is something that is bound to happen. He walked over to his tent and grabbed his fishing rod. Copper raised her head to look at him with pleading eyes. She wagged her tail and tilted her head so that her tongue rolled to hang on the other side of her mouth. Arthur decided she could come. He laughed when she immediately sprung from where she was resting beside Arthur’s cot and up onto her legs as soon as he called her. At least he would have her with him. Her energy eased his nerves, since he knew this was going to be a good day for someone, at least. It was a short walk so he left Boadicea to rest, and exited the camp where John was posting guard. John gave him a wink. He didn’t know what that meant.

He walked out of the thick wooded area where their camp was safely hidden, with his rod in his hand and a basket strapped to his hip, and Copper trailing behind, trotting happily. They went out into the meadow, beyond which the river ran. Hosea said the river was full of trout, and that was where he expected to see Javier today. Arthur was old, but his heart felt like that of a young tween about to bring a freshly-picked flower to present to his silly first crush. 

However, Javier was not there, but clear tracks told Arthur he went along the river downstream to where it slithered into the thickets. Many wild mint plants, thistles and daisies grew there, and dandelions, which were blooming, and in the shades grew sage. Copper sniffed around happily while Arthur marked the spot in his memory. He would come back later to pick them for medicine for the horses. 

He found Javierin a glade by the river that pooled into a big pond. The breeze in the west lightly swayed the strands of his hair. His hat was laid on the bank, and the sun was on his face. He did not hide from its afternoon rays. It was his first summer with them, and he was basking in the warmth and enjoying his freedom. His breathing was deep. He was enjoying the clean, fresh air of the glade.

Arthur forgot what he was about to say to greet Javier, and he was about to settle for just ‘hey’ when Javier noticed him first. He gave Arthur a smile, and Arthur forgot even the ‘hey’.

“Oh, evening, Arthur! You gonna fish with me? Copper can join, of course!”

The dog barked in excitement at the mention of her name. 

“‘Course, Dutch told me I’d find you here.”

Copper ran to Javier, and she was received with praise from him, (“Good girl Copper! You’re working harder than Bill!”) as she knew she would be. When Javier was newly brought into the gang, he was nervous around Copper, but now he got along with her just fine, just like how he got along so quickly and so well with the rest of the gang members. 

“So, what were you doing today?” asked Arthur while he tread around the bank, looking for a good spot.

“Nothing much, Hosea told me about this here river some time ago, so I came to check for good fish.” Javier stopped when he saw that Arthur ended up standing opposite to him, facing the east. “You’re gonna scare all the fish away with your shadow, Arthur, come over here and fish next to me!”

One fool made of himself, Arthur thought. He could feel his ears and cheeks going rather hot, and it was not because of the sun. He shuffled over to Javier’s side and reached for his bait. A second fool made of himself, as Arthur realized in dismay that he forgot the bait. It was impossible, he knew he had it, it never left his basket.

“Ahh.. shit...”

“What is it?”

“I forgot the god damned bait, I…”

Javier was already walking over to Arthur, his rod still in one hand. With his other hand he reached into his own basket also attached to his belt for a feathered lure, before handing it over to Arthur. 

“Don’t worry, you can take mine.”

Javier’s hands were rough. There were wrinkles and scars. Arthur wondered if Javier’s hands would feel as coarse as they looked, and what kind of coarse? When he held them in his own hands, would they feel like a hardwood’s bark or sandpaper? 

He realized he was staring and quickly took the lure. He felt Javier’s eyes on him, still standing there close to him, watching him bait the lure to the hook. Arthur looked up to meet his eyes, but Javier turned then, and walked back to his spot. Was Arthur being judged?

Arthur drew his arm back and then cast the line. It made a pleasant sound, and the bobber make a _ plob! _ noise as it hit the water. Copper was nowhere to be found, off wandering and playing somewhere. The dog was a wanderer much like Arthur himself. He felt Javier still watching him sometimes. After a while, they sat, jerking the rods lazily once in a while. Javier's skin was like darker honey in this particular evening sun, and his dark hair was tied into a ponytail. The big scar on his neck healed well, and so did the scars on his right brow and left cheek, so he certainly looked much better than when he first arrived, like a trembling wet kitten, the most miserable little thing Arthur had ever seen, who had now grown quick and strong, and revealed himself to be quite handsome. Javier recovered steadily and it wouldn’t be long before he started doing jobs and running with them. 

Javier got a fish on his line, and he made an excited _ A-ha! _ as he pulled. Arthur watched the muscles in his arms and the bend of his hip as he reeled it in. Javier's tongue licked his lip in concentration. _ ‘Pervert!’ _ said the voice in his head again.

“Look at this, Arthur! A bass!”

Javier laughed with a delightful sound, showing his catch. He then put it in the basket. They continued fishing, and Arthur continued to catch nothing.

“You know, the other day, I went to the town, they were selling a fishing lure I want to buy. One that resemble the insects that fish love. Long butterfly.”

“You mean dragonfly?”

“Yeah? That them?” he pointed to the group of ‘them’, dragonflies, perching and buzzing just above the untroubled water.

“Yuuup, that’s them. Dragonflies.”

They both chuckled. Javier learned fast. Hosea said he’s the best student he’s ever taught. Although, there were still many words he was missing, but he expanded his vocabulary everyday. 

They were interrupted when Arthur felt something at the end of his line. 

“You got something there, Arthur?”

“Maybe, it’s... heavy, though.”

It was really heavy. He couldn’t believe his luck - something big for the gang, something big to impress Javier... He lifted the rod up into the air and then sideways, reeling in hard. He was going to take this one home and cook it by the campfire. But whatever it was at the end of the line was relentless, it wouldn’t give up. The line was tense, and he realized that it was not a fish. The lure was stuck.

“Argh... It’s stuck,” Arthur grunted. He wiggled it a bit, hoping it would get loose, but it was no use. Javier looked away, but Arthur could tell he was smiling or holding a laugh. Arthur had embarrassed himself so bad, and Javier was nice enough not to laugh in his face. Then Javier turned.

"May I try?" 

Javier placed his rod on the ground, and Arthur handed him his own rod. Javier played with it, pulling and yanking the line lightly. Still no use.

"We should retrieve it, come on,” said Javier as he reeled in his line and put his rod away. While Arthur only feel like he keep messing it up. He expected Javier to think of him as a fool now. What should he do to make up for it? It was too late to "roll with it" now. He thought nothing would be better than a private moment with Javier, but now he realized it was the opposi- 

Javier's chest was as muscled as his arms and the scars that adorned his body easily matched Arthur's own. What was he doing?

" Javier...?"

"What? We should retrieve it, and I'm not getting my vest and shirt wet, they're expensive. I bought them with my own money, too," he said, as he neatly folded his clothes and gently placed them on the ground. He unbuckled the basket from his belt, took off his boots and removed his revolver and knife, and then waded into the pond. The water was disturbed and rippled around where he walked. Arthur also removed his own boots and equipment and followed him to where the bobber and line disappeared under water. The smooth stones rolled underneath his feet with each difficult step. Javier's back was also mazed with scars. 

"Alright," Arthur grunted. The water was up to his hip, and to Javier's (_ 'gorgeous' _) abdomen. Arthur reached for the line, tracing his finger along it under the water, following to where the lure was. There was a rock, and there was the poor lure, but he couldn’t get it out. When he was on the bank, pulling and pulling, thinking it was a big fish, it got the lure even more stuck.

"I found it, but looks like it's stuck under a rock, can you help me lift it?"

"Sure."

Their shoulders touched as Javier bent down to heave the troublesome rock, and the lure was retrieved easily. 

"Here we go, now I'll put this away." Arthur turned and moved away from Javier, and headed for the bank, hoping that Javier wouldn’t notice all the blood going to his face.

"Hey, now that we've probably scared all the fish away, why don't you stay in? There's still an hour before the sun sets, the water's cool, and you need to wash your hair a bit there."

Arthur wrinkled his nose. He did need a bath. When he was in town earlier this morning, he tripped on the General Store's steps and into the mud as he left. He thought there was still some dried mud in his hair somewhere. He looked around the glade. It was unlikely that someone would to be around and see two men bathing in the same pond.

“I guess. Ain’t got soap though.”

“Take mine, it’s in my satchel over there.”

“Thanks.” He reached the bank and grabbed for the soap box from Javier’s satchel. “I’ll pay you back for this one.” Javier had turned and freed his hair from the band. It was loose and hung just past his shoulders, and some strands were on his tan back. Sculpted was his body, and beautifully so. The bright golden light lined his dark hair like a crown as he began to wash. Arthur was already writing a journal entry about it in his head.

He picked a spot far apart from Javier in the shallow and sat down, and let the water reach his collarbone before wetting his hair. The soap had a scent of exotic fruits. Arthur was not surprised, for the time Javier was with them, he had turned out to be quite a classy person. His quick recovery was not only thanks to the food and the medicine, but also his own self care. It was like the gang dug up a lump of dirt, and it polished itself to reveal the gold hidden inside. Arthur recognized the scent. He smelled it whenever Javier was near, when he was sitting downwind to him, and when they walk past each other and their shoulders brushed, and when Javier handed the lure to him just this evening. Javier's scent.

On his shoulders, and in his hair, as Javier gently stroked his hands along them.

"Please, let me, your hair is a tangled mess," said Javier with a warm smile, like it was nothing, like he totally did not rattle Arthur’s rib cage and send his heart scrambling around like a feral creature trying to escape. Arthur let him.

Javier made sure Arthur’s hair was all soaked before he rubbed shampoo on it. It was another exotic scent, and Arthur closed his eyes so he could focus on the peach, the pomegranate, and the sweet fig, and the fingers in his hair and the thumbs rubbing at the nape of his neck. He couldn’t help making a pleased "Hmmm…"

"You like it?" Javier chirped, wiping at Arthur’s forehead to make sure no shampoo would run onto his face. He gently increased the pressure, massaging the scalp. Javier then began detangling Arthur’s coarse hair with his fingers, slowly combing, and Arthur knew he was either very patient or actually enjoying it. He realized what a sight they two would make to anyone who may happen to notice them, two bare-chested men sharing such a caring moment, and he realized what troubles and bothers would follow. He wondered what a pair they would make, and as hands that were scooping up the water begun to rinse away the shampoo from his long mane of hair that now felt lighter, he closed his eyes. Javier’s fingers were again massaging at the back of his neck, just below his hairline, wandering down his neck and onto his wide shoulders with light pressure to them. Arthur did what his heart screamed at him to, and what his brain begged him not to, and placed his own hand over Javier’s. The massage stopped, and Javier’s hand was there, resting on Arthur’s shoulder but also under Arthur’s palm, warm, despite the cool, cold water. He could feel Javier hesitate, unsure, like he, too, did not expect it to come this far. Arthur’s brain regained its control, and he was about to take his hand away, but then Javier’s hand that was free reached to cup Arthur’s chin, feeling the stubble that had began to grow, and held Arthur so that he was looking up, while Javier looked down, to place a quick, shy kiss on Arthur’s forehead.

“There you go,” Javier said, sweetly, like the honey they harvested at this time of year, and he pulled his hand free from Arthur’s grasp. He gave Arthur’s hair a few last combs with his fingers before wading his way to the bank, leaving Arthur's face red as the apple that they also harvested at this time of year as well.

Arthur whistled for Copper, the dog would be around here somewhere. Then came a loud, excited bark, and Arthur called back for her to hurry up. He had only just reached the bank when Copper appeared and the water was splashing in his face. The dog had leapt into the water like an arrow shot from a bow, trying to land in Arthur's arms, but had missed. This amused both her and Javier, but less so Arthur.

The first star appeared on the horizon when they reached the camp. Arthur and Javier smelled like each other now. They talked about their day, and Javier told him about the fish he caught today, each with special techniques on how to catch them, and Arthur told him about the buck with a single antler. Javier then told him a story about a beast that was rumored to have haunted his village way before he was born, which was said to have way too many antlers and fed on their cattle and human blood. 

In the future, on an evening, walking back to camp like this, they would talk less and instead hold their hands together. 

Copper had found a stick, which she found interesting, and she darted to the campfire, where Hosea and Sean sat, having come back from their lesson. She dropped the stick into the fire, something she always did, thinking it was her way of helping around the camp. Arthur and Javier made their way to Pearson's table and presented the fish. A few perch and a rock bass. Javier gained a compliment and a thanks from the camp's cook. He was fitting in well and the gang really started to like him a lot, and the more he stayed with them, the more it had become clear that Dutch was right when he said the boy had potential. 

"Alright, I'm going to get my evening rest now. It's good spending time with you, Arthur." Javier stretched his arms before saying farewell for the night.

"Same to you," Arthur said and gave him a good night with a hand gesture.

Arthur watched him walk away, finding John, perhaps. The two boys were around the same age, and Arthur was happy to see them get along so well. Javier always practiced his English with John, and John loved to sit eagerly to hear Javier talk about the land where he came from and the revolutions he fought in. They were almost always seen together. 

Arthur sighed. Today was terrible and magnificent. He closed his eyes and imagined Javier’s fingers still in his hair. Tomorrow, maybe, he needed to go to Javier again, maybe, that or just straight ask him out, but today, he was starved. He walked over to Pearson’s stewing pot, Copper followed him closely, tail wagging in hope for food. Arthur went for a bowl full of the soup. Then later, he would have a journal entry to write, or, try to write, and the next day to plan.

\---

“So?” Javier sat down next to John by the scout campfire.

“So...?” John smirked, peeling the apple in his hand, still not looking up to Javier.

“You told Dutch? Only you and Hosea knew where I’d be today, and Hosea is out.”

“Mhhm. You told me you like him.” John took a bite, then offered a piece to Javier, who gladly took it. “My brother’s an idiot, he won’t make the first move, so I helped him and you a little, that’s all.”

“I... Thank you, John...” He meant it. He really did. “Did you also.. misplace his bait?”

John tried to stifle a chuckle, which turned into a wheezy laugh. In the end, they both ended up laughing together. Tomorrow would be another summer day.

\---

  
  
  



End file.
